Neuroendocrine tumor and colon infection, the diseases that claimed Irrfan Khan's life

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, who was battling neuroendocrine tumour, died at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday (April 29). He was 53. Irrfan was admitted to hospital on Tuesday afternoon due to colon infection.

Notably, Irrfan was battling a neuroendocrine tumour for two years and he was diagnosed with ailment in 2018. Following the diagnosis, Irrfan left for the UK to undergo treatment and remained absent from the silver screen for around a year.

Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and two sons. He was born on January 7, 1966, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Irrfan was born as Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan to a Muslim Pashtun family.

What is a neuroendocrine tumour?

A neuroendocrine tumour (NET) grows in the specialised cells of the neuroendocrine system, which comprises nerve ends and glands, of our body. The neuroendocrine system takes care of the production and release of hormones in our body.

Symptoms of neuroendocrine tumour

In many cases, people suffering from NET don't show any symptoms but when symptoms occur, they can vary based on the location of the tumour. In some cases, the patients show symptoms like skin flushing or fluctuations of blood sugar level.

The common symptoms in NETs are stomach pain, changes in bowel habits, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and weight loss. The tumour can begin in body parts like the lung, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and pancreas. 

What is colon infection?

Colon infection happens when the lining of the colon of the patients gets inflamed. Colon is present inside the large intestine and its inflammation depends on the type and severity of the disease.

Several diseases can cause colon infection but colon inflamation is largely a resultant of viral and bacterial infections. In some cases, colon gets infected after an operation or sugery or due to complications caused by cancer. Certain treatments for cancer like chemotherapy increases the chances of a patient developing an infection and sepsis. In Irrfan's case, he was diagnosed with a rare type of Neuroendocrine tumour and underwent chemotherapy in 2018.

Symptoms of colon infection

Some of the common symptoms of colon infection are diarrhoea with or without blood, abdominal pain and cramping, fever, urgency to have a bowel movement, nausea, bloating, weight loss and fatigue.